《论语》译话
吾日三省乎吾身
■许渊冲
中华读书报 2009-10-21
曾子曰：“吾日三省乎吾身:为人谋而不忠乎？与朋友交而不信乎？传不习乎？”这是孔子的弟子曾子每天检查自己的三个问题。我们现在看看理雅各和韦利是如何翻译这三句话的。
(1)The philosopher Zeng said:"I daily examine myself on three points:— whether, in transacting business for othe
rs, I may have been not faithful；— whether, in intercourse with friends, I may have been not sincere；— whether I may have not mastered and practiced the instructions of my teacher." (Legge)
(2)Master Zeng said, everyday I examine myself on these three points: In acting on behalf of others, have I always been loyal to their interests? In intercourse with my friends, have I always been true to my word? Have I failed to repeat the precepts that have been handed down to me? (Waley)
"三省吾身",两位译者都说是在三点上检查自己。第一点"为人谋",理雅各说是为别人办事,韦利说是代办,前者一般化,后者特殊化,一般比特殊好。对"忠"字的翻译,理雅各的宗教意味重,不够明确；韦利政治气息浓,后面加了"利益"一词,就增加了经济意义。第二点"与朋友交",两人一样,理雅各把"信"字说是诚恳,不如韦利说的"忠于所言",但两种译文和原文有没有距离呢？似乎还可以研究。第三点两人都把"传"理解为孔子的教导。全句可以考虑翻译如下:
I ask my self, said Master Zeng, three questions everyday: Indealing with others, have I not thought of their interests? In making friends, have my deeds not agreed with my words? In teaching students, have I not put into practice what I teach them?
曾子的"三省吾身"能不能应用于译者呢？
第一,"忠"字可以应用于原作者,这就是说,译者应该忠于原作,但原作并不限于原文的表层形式,还应该包括原作的深层内容,不只是忠于原作的文字,更要忠于原文所表达的思想。如果具体到把中国古典诗词译成英文,那就不但是要达意,而且还要传情。尤其是中国古诗,一切景语都是情语,达意而不传情,只能算是译了一半,传情甚至比达意还更重要。例如《诗经·采薇》中的名句:"昔我往矣,杨柳依依。今我来思,雨雪霏霏。""依依"不但是写杨柳飘扬之景,更是写依依不舍的征人之情；"霏霏"不但是写雪花飞舞之景,更是写征人饥寒交迫之情。因此,英文可以译成:
When I left here, Willows shed tear.
I come back now,Snow bends the bough.
法文可以译成:
A mon départ, Le saule en pleurs.
Au retour tard, La neige en fleurs.
第二,"信"字可以用于译者本人,译者是否言行一致？是否理论联系实际？就以上面的英法译文为例,译者是否使景语成为情语了？"杨柳依依",因为英文的"垂柳"是weepingwillow(垂泪的杨柳),所以译文说杨柳流泪,既写了垂柳之景,又表达了依依不舍之情。"雨雪霏霏"英译说是大雪压弯了树枝,既写了雪景,雪压树枝又可以使人联想到战争的劳苦压弯了征人的腰肢。法译却用"千树万树梨花开"写雪景的唐诗,用乐景来衬托哀情,"以倍增其哀",都可以算是景语成情语了。所以可以说是理论联系买际的。
第三,"传"字可以用于读者,战士归途中饥寒交迫之景,是否赢得了读者的同情？引起了对战争的反感和对和平生活的热爱？如果是的,那译者就是学了曾子的"三省吾身",付之实践,并且有收获了。
